Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Nursing for November 2018. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Limiting Social Media May Improve Psychological Well-Being
FRIDAY, Nov. 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Limiting social media use to 30 minutes per day may lead to significant improvement in well-being, according to a study published in the December issue of the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology.
Teva Recalls Two Blood Pressure Medications
FRIDAY, Nov. 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) — All lots of amlodipine/valsartan and amlodipine/valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide combination blood pressure tablets have been recalled by Teva Pharmaceuticals due to higher-than-acceptable levels of a chemical that may cause cancer.
Rotating Night Shift Work, Lifestyle Factors Linked to T2DM
FRIDAY, Nov. 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Both rotating night shift work and unhealthy lifestyle are associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes among female nurses, with a significant additive interaction, according to a study published online Nov. 21 in the BMJ.
Increase Seen in Amphetamine, Opioid Use in Pregnant Women
FRIDAY, Nov. 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The incidence of amphetamine and opioid use has increased among pregnant women, especially in rural counties, according to a study published online Nov. 29 in the American Journal of Public Health.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Several Risk Factors More Strongly Linked to MI in Women
FRIDAY, Nov. 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) is higher in men than women, but several risk factors are more strongly linked to MI in women, according to a study published online Nov. 7 in The BMJ.
Most Bills Enacted Into Law Limit Vaccine Exemptions
THURSDAY, Nov. 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Most proposed bills in state legislatures from 2011 to 2017 sought to expand access to immunization exemptions, but the majority of bills enacted into law limited exemptions, according to a study published online Nov. 29 in the American Journal of Public Health.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Climate Change Ups Heat Deaths, Especially Among Elderly
THURSDAY, Nov. 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Risk for heat-related disease and death is rising worldwide due to climate change, according to a report published online Nov. 28 in The Lancet.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Persistent Back Pain Linked to Earlier Mortality in Older Women
THURSDAY, Nov. 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Frequent persistent back pain is associated with increased mortality in older women, according to a study recently published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Home-Based Intervention Helpful for Disadvantaged CKD Patients
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A home-based intervention can improve disadvantaged chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients’ activation in their health and health care, according to a study published online Nov. 15 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Abstract/Full Text
Editorial 1
Editorial 2
FDA: Kratom Products Have High Levels of Heavy Metals
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In addition to many other health risks, kratom products can have high levels of heavy metals, according to Scott Gottlieb, M.D., commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Large at Birth, Maternal Diabetes Up Child’s Risk for Obesity
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Large for gestational age (LGA) is a stronger marker than maternal diabetes for subsequently being overweight or obese in early childhood, according to a study published online Nov. 13 in Diabetologia.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Protein Intake Tied to Disability Trajectory in Very Old
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For very old adults, higher protein intake is associated with better disability trajectories, according to a study published online Nov. 1 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
FDA: Safe to Eat Romaine Lettuce Again, but Check Labels
TUESDAY, Nov. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In a statement released late yesterday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., announced that the agency was lifting its advisory against eating romaine lettuce, first put in place last Tuesday. At that point, the agency had not been able to narrow down the source of the tainted lettuce. But now the source seems to be “end-of-season” lettuce harvested somewhere in the Central Coast regions of central and northern California. And “harvesting of romaine lettuce from this region has [already] ended for the year,” Gottlieb noted.
More Information: FDA
More Information: CDC
FDA to Update Medical Device Approvals Process
TUESDAY, Nov. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A major update of the United States’ system for approving medical devices was announced yesterday by the Food and Drug Administration.
CBS/AP News Article
More Information
USPSTF: Evidence Lacking for Prevention of Child Maltreatment
TUESDAY, Nov. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) concludes that the evidence on the benefits and harms of primary care interventions for preventing child maltreatment is currently inadequate. These findings form the basis of a final recommendation statement published online Nov. 27 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Final Recommendation Statement
Evidence Report
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Four Principles Underlie Patient and Family Partnership in Care
TUESDAY, Nov. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Patient and family partnership in care should include treatment of patients and families with dignity and respect, their active engagement in all aspects of care, and their contribution to the improvement of health care systems and education of health care professionals, according to a position paper published online Nov. 27 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Position Paper
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Food Assistance May Help Older Adults Adhere to Diabetes Meds
TUESDAY, Nov. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) may reduce the number of low-income older adults with diabetes forgoing medications because of cost, according to a study published online Nov. 19 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Involving Opioids Up
TUESDAY, Nov. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2007 to 2016, there was a sharp increase in pregnancy-associated mortality involving opioids, according to a research letter recently published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Less Pediatric Screen Time Tied to Better Well-Being
TUESDAY, Nov. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A higher amount of screen time per day is associated with decreased psychological well-being in children and adolescents, according to a study published in the December issue of Preventive Medicine Reports.
Early Antibiotic Use May Be Tied to Higher Childhood Body Weight
MONDAY, Nov. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Antibiotic use in children <24 months of age is associated with a slightly higher body weight at 5 years of age, according to a study published recently in Pediatrics.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
ACA Coverage Substantial, but Did Not Impact Labor Markets
MONDAY, Nov. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Millions of workers gained insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) without adverse effects on labor markets, according to a report published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Urban Institute.
Report: How Have Workers Fared Under the ACA?
USPSTF Suggests Universal HIV Screening, PrEP for High-Risk Patients
TUESDAY, Nov. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends HIV screening for individuals aged 15 to 65 years, including all pregnant women, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) should be offered to those at high risk of HIV. These findings form the basis of two draft recommendation statements published online Nov. 20 by the USPSTF.
Draft Evidence Review – Adolescents/Adults
Draft Recommendation Statement – Adolescents/Adults
Comment on Recommendation Statement – Adolescents/Adults
Draft Evidence Review – Pregnancy
Draft Recommendation Statement – Pregnancy
Comment on Recommendation Statement – Pregnancy
Draft Evidence Review – PrEP
Draft Recommendation Statement – PrEP
Comment on Recommendation Statement – PrEP
Insulin Needed for T2DM Tx Set to Increase >20 Percent by 2030
MONDAY, Nov. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — From 2018 to 2030, the insulin required to treat type 2 diabetes is expected to increase more than 20 percent, according to a study published online Nov. 20 in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Youth Smoking Decline Mirrors Rise in Vaping Popularity
MONDAY, Nov. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Even with the rapid rise in popularity of electronic cigarettes, there has been a simultaneous decline in smoking prevalence among U.S. teens and young adults, suggesting e-cigarettes may not prompt young people to start smoking, according to a study published online Nov. 20 in Tobacco Control.
Child Overweight, Obesity Linked to Increased Asthma Risk
MONDAY, Nov. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Children who are overweight or obese have an increased risk for asthma, according to a study published online Nov. 26 in Pediatrics.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
FDA Approves Drug for Treatment of Travelers’ Diarrhea
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 21, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday announced it has approved Aemcolo (rifamycin), an antibacterial drug indicated for treating adult patients with travelers’ diarrhea caused by noninvasive strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli) without fever or blood in the stool.
CDC: U.S. Abortion Rate Declined 24 Percent From 2006 to 2015
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 21, 2015 (HealthDay News) — The abortion rate in the United States fell 24 percent between 2006 and 2015, according to research published in the Nov. 23 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
U of Maryland Student Dies of Adenovirus-Related Illness
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 21, 2018 (HealthDay News) — An 18-year-old University of Maryland student has died from an adenovirus-related illness, and there have been reports of five other cases among students.
CBS News Article
More Information: CDC
Smoke-Free Policies Linked to Lower Systolic Blood Pressure
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 21, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Smoke-free policies are associated with small reductions in blood pressure (BP), according to a study published online Nov. 21 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Switching to High-Deductible Insurance Delays Diabetes Care
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 21, 2018 (HealthDay News) — For patients with diabetes, those switching from low-deductible to high-deductible insurance have increased delays in seeking care and diagnostic testing for macrovascular symptoms and for first procedure-based treatment, according to a study published online Nov. 20 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Vaccine-Exempt Students Behind N.C. Chickenpox Outbreak
TUESDAY, Nov. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — North Carolina’s largest chickenpox outbreak in decades is centered in a primary school with a large number of vaccine-exempt students, according to health officials.
FDA: Another E. coli Outbreak Linked to Romaine Lettuce
TUESDAY, Nov. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention along with health officials from various states are asking American consumers to avoid romaine lettuce due to an outbreak of Escherichia coli illness.
FDA Fast Facts
CDC Food Safety Alert
NPs and PAs Can Effectively Manage Diabetes in Primary Care
TUESDAY, Nov. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Diabetes outcomes do not differ for patients treated with a primary care provider who is either a physician, nurse practitioner (NP), or physician assistant (PA), according to a study published online Nov. 20 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Better Work Environment Tied to Better Patient Safety
TUESDAY, Nov. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The results of a recent survey of thousands of nurses and patients show that hospital patient safety remains a serious concern, according to a study published in the November issue of Health Affairs.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Pain Management Telementoring May Cut Opioid Prescribing
TUESDAY, Nov. 20, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Military patients whose primary care clinicians participated in a telementoring program, including education on pain management best practices, have larger declines in opioid-related prescriptions than patients whose clinicians did not participate, according to a study published online Oct. 31 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
FDA Warns Against Giving Honey-Filled Pacifiers to Infants
MONDAY, Nov. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Pacifiers filled with or dipped in honey should not be given to infants, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.
Cap’n Crunch Cereal Recalled Due to Salmonella Scare
MONDAY, Nov. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A small number of boxes of Cap’n Crunch’s Peanut Butter Crunch are being recalled due to potential Salmonella contamination, Quaker Oats says.
FDA Recall Notice
More Information: CDC
Prevalence of Food Allergy 7.6 Percent in U.S. Children
MONDAY, Nov. 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The prevalence of food allergy (FA) is 7.6 percent among children in the United States, according to a study published online Nov. 19 in Pediatrics.
Patient Education Ups VTE Prophylaxis in Hospital Setting
Screening + Online Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program Aids Nurses" Mental Health 
Number of Health Care Workers Has Increased 198.5 Percent Since 1990 
Study Looks at Drivers of Nurse Turnover 
Staffing, Scheduling, and Wage Changes Could Reattract Nurses Back to Hospitals 
Collaborative Dementia Care Offers Health, Economic Benefits 
One in Three Nurses Have Student Loan Debt 
Policy Incentivizing High Staffing of Nursing Homes May Improve Patient Health 
.jpg)
